Here are some of the highlights from the Arctic Refuge hearings in May in Fairbanks and Anchorage. These Alaskans are standing up in opposition to the oil and gas program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Thank you to everyone who submitted a comment in person or online!

Seismic impacts feared for Arctic Refuge

Seismic activities would involve convoys of these 30-ton thumper trucks and bulldozers traveling over extensive areas of sensitive tundra. Photo by Alaska Wilderness League

Even as the Trump administration develops an oil and gas program for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, oil companies are pushing to conduct "seismic activity" this winter in order to find and develop petroleum resources that could be leased as early as next summer. Seismic work entails driving heavy machinery over delicate Arctic tundra while carrying equipment that sends sonic waves into the ground. Scars from seismic machinery in the 1980s are still visible decades later. Today's seismic technology requires an even denser grid of lines and will have lasting effects on the Refuge's ecology and wild character.

Learn more and
stay tuned for opportunities to take action on this issue!

Goodbye to Nils Warnock

Nils Warnock (center) holding an original watercolor of a Bar-tailed Godwit by David Sibley with Audubon Alaska Board Chair John Schoen and Interim Executive Director Michelle LeBeau.

This month we said goodbye to Nils Warnock, who for the last eight years served as Executive Director of Audubon Alaska. Nils played a critical role in the development and success of Audubon's Alaska program. He was instrumental in many conservation achievements and made the Alaska office a great place to work. We cannot thank him enough for all that he's done for Audubon Alaska. Nils will be dearly missed, but we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Audubon Photography Awards, announced this month. Take a look at the stunning shots selected by this year's judges and don't forget to check out the Top 100 finalists as well.

Audubon Alaska receives public service commendation from US Coast Guard

Director of Conservation Science Melanie Smith holding the US Coast Guard public service commendation.

We are pleased to announce that Audubon Alaska received a Public Service Commendation from the United States Coast Guard for our work on the Bering Strait Port Access Route Study! We delineated areas to be avoided by vessel traffic to lessen the impact on crucial areas for birds and mammals across the Bering Strait, and these recommendations were formally adopted by the International Maritime Organization. Thank you to everyone that worked on this project.

Audubon Alaska welcomes Rebecca Sentner this month as our new Communications Manager. She

comes to Audubon Alaska with a passion for wildlife conservation and a strong background in non-profit marketing, communications, and development. Most recently, she worked at
thread, a statewide non-profit in Alaska that focuses on advancing the quality of early education and child development, where she was the Director of Marketing & Development. Prior to that she worked for two trade associations, a zoo and aquarium, and a local humane society. She has a bachelor's degree in communication and a post-graduate certificate in applied animal behavior.

Mayor Ethan Berkowitz and Great Land Trust Executive Director Ellen Kazary officially cutting the ribbon at the Audubon Wayside. Audubon Alaska is represented by Nils Warnock, left of center in blue hat.

Last month's quiz bird was a Pine Grosbeak (adult male pictured here). Pine Grosbeaks can be brightly colored; adult female often have golden yellow heads and adult males often have rosy red heads. In winter these birds form small groups that travel together in search of seeds and fruits and are frequent visitors to bird feeders.

This month's quiz bird is well known for its goofy appearance and gravity-defying feather crests. It is unusual in that it has three unique traits that can't be found in any other bird species. One unique trait is its distinctive feather smell that is so potent that researchers can often smell their way to bird colonies.

Join the Friends of Creamer's Field for a celebration of the abundant fall migration. Events include Brunch with the Cranes, nature walks, a kids' crane walk, crafts, a crane calling contest, a drawing cranes workshop, a driving tour of Fairbanks birding hotspots, a live birds of prey program, bird research talks, and of course crane watching. The annual Tex-Mex feast will be Saturday night outside under the event tent. For more information call (907) 452-5162 or email Friends of Creamer's Field.